Creating a New Blank Test

Once teachers select Create a New Blank Test (from the left panel under Assessment Options while in the Assessments tab in Aware), test details will now be entered all on one page. Teachers will enter: title of the test, select a subject, assign a grade level, adjust default performance level percentages (it is recommended to mirror your meets and master requirements for STAAR tested subjects), and click on "ADD A COURSE" (if it doesn't populate for you), and click "EDIT CAMPUSES" (if it doesn't populate for you). Click "GENERATE TEST" at the bottom when done.

To add questions within the test from STAAR test maker, click the + icon.

• Select "Search Item Bank" in the pop up window.

• Search by grade and standard from the QUESTIONS tab:

  • Confirm your course and grade from the drop-down menu

  • Click on any learning standard or click on "Select All Standards". All questions associated with that standard or course will appear.

  • After clicking on a standard, in the right panel, teachers can sort by:

    • keywords

    • question type (numerical, constructed, selected)

    • STAAR Released Tests Item bank

    • depth of knowledge (low, medium, high, n/a)

    • language (n/a, english, spanish)

• To add one of the questions to your test, click on the "+ ADD QUESTION" in the top right corner of each question. The question will appear in the Question Cart to the left of the question bank.

• Continue selecting questions to add to the test (Questions will be added to the test in the order in which they were selected. To reorder, use the arrows to the left of the questions in the cart.)

• To remove a question - click the trash can icon to the right of the question in the cart.

• After selecting all questions, click the "+ ADD TO TEST" button at the top of the Question Cart. Teachers will be automatically redirected to the test authoring interface.

Click the + icon again and repeat the steps above to add more questions to the test or begin making edits to your questions. In the test authoring interface, teachers will have more editing and formatting options in the "QUESTIONS" and "TEST KEY" tabs.

Teachers will be able to customize:

• • Alternate Lettering for multiple choice (ABCD/FGHJ) by toggling the button on/off.

  • Clicking on the pencil icon (edit) next to each question will open a formatting toolbar with additional editing options.

  • Reorder questions by clicking on the arrows next to each question number

  • Change/edit the correct response from the pencil icon

  • Make changes to the item weight from the pencil icon

  • Add primary and secondary standards from the pencil icon

  • Link Resources (it is important to link all questions to resources, if it applies (ex. reading passages), if you plan to utilize the new question randomization feature for online testing

*Pro Tip: Most teachers find it easier to make quick edits from the "Test Key" tab. Click on the pencil (edit) icon next to the question and easily make changes.

Remember to change the test from Pending to Active on the General tab and click on the Administration tab to finalize options for administering the test. Click on the Online Testing tab on this tutorial website for more help on how to administer a test in Aware.